Smoking Ban Means Number’s Up For Bingo Hall
ANTI-tobacco campaigners have slammed bars and nightclubs that promote outdoor smoking areas, saying they flout the spirit of strict bans introduced in July.
Dr Mark Westcott, a vascular surgeon from St Vincent’s Hospital, drives past Abbotsford’s Terminus Hotel every day, and said he was disgusted by a sign that encouraged patrons to “smoke in comfort & style”.
“This promotion may not be against the letter of the law, but it’s definitely against the intention of the law, which is to stop smoking in pubs,” Dr Westcott said. “This is indirect advertising of tobacco.”
Other Melbourne nightclubs have used emails to advertise smoking spaces, while South Yarra nightclub Q Bar sent text messages to its database of private members.
“Q: new licenced smoking area open 2nite so bring carton and lets go!” the message states.
Q Bar manager Richard Chatfield conceded that an area in front of the Toorak Road nightclub had been provided for smokers. He said the text message promotion complied with Victoria’s tobacco regulations.
But Quit Victoria executive director Fiona Sharkie said the message could constitute a tobacco advertisement, which breached Commonwealth legislation.
Ms Sharkie called on federal Minister for the Ageing Christopher Pyne to investigate. (I’m telling, nyah nayh nayh!)
(So bars come up with a way to keep their business afloat by providing a comfortable place for their smoking customers to sit outside, and that’s still not enough for these miserable whiny little pricks? Do you need any more proof that these people hate smokers?)
Source: The Age. Link
